In recent years, a system in which a plurality of communication devices, each assigned to a function, are connected together to mutually exchange data and to perform various processing in cooperation has been utilized in various fields. For example, in the field of the vehicle-mounted LAN (local area network), ECUs (electronic control units) have communication functions and mutually exchange data, each ECU performing a specialized processing, thereby realizing various functions as a system.
Moreover, as the functions that can be realized in an entire system tend to increase and be sophisticated, the amount and type of data transmitted between the communication devices tend to increase. At the same time, reduction in the cost and size of an entire system is required, and also reduction in the number of components and the size of each component is desired.
Communication protocols used between communication devices include not only IEEE1394 but, especially in the field of vehicles, CAN (Controller Area Network), MOST (Registered Trademark, hereinafter also referred to as “®”) and FlexRay®. For sending and detecting a communication signal appropriate for these protocols, a communication device is provided with a transceiver that complies with a protocol in accordance with the type of a network connected to each communication device, i.e., data transmitted between communication devices. For example, a communication device for transmitting image data is provided with the IEEE 1394 transceiver appropriate for transmitting image data and a CAN transceiver for transmitting control signals. A communication device for transmitting high speed control signals is provided with a FlexRay transceiver.
Some systems without a fixed relation of connection between the communication devices or fixed functions of communication devices have flexible configurations that are adaptable to the requirements or specifications. Especially in the field of vehicles, even in the same model of vehicles, some communication devices may or may not be included in the system depending on the presence or absence of options. For example, a communication device with an option is connected to a device related to the option, while a communication device without the option is not connected to the device related to the option. It is commonly configured that one type of the communication device can be adopted to the various option configurations instead of making a physical configuration of each communication device different according to the presence or absence of options. Consequently, a connecting section (a transceiver) which is connected to the option-related device needs to be previously provided in a communication device regardless of whether the option is used or not. Particularly, the communication device where a protocol, such as the IEEE 1394 protocol, connects communication devices one-to-one, may be configured to have a device that may be “given away” or may not be used. Such communication device will be wasteful considering various options.
In view of reduction in size and the number of lines in systems, an invention has been proposed which relates to a connector with a built-in circuit board configured to have an intelligence function by including a circuit board inside of the connector that connects devices. For example, a configuration has proposed which enables a circuit board to be accurately positioned at a proper position when pushing it in and fixing it inside a connector housing.